Checking Out "Notes From the Underbelly"

I read a couple of articles recently about "Notes From the Underbelly" being the "Sex and the City" of mommyhood - I thought, no way it could match SATC so I setup Tivo and promptly forgot about it. Yesterday, I was watching another show and saw a frightening yet humorous preview for NFTU so I decided to see if Tivo recorded the show and watch a bit.

Skeptical at first, I waded into it with low expectations but gradually I began to like the characters. Rachael Harris (Cooper) is hilarious and I really like the lead couple played by Jennifer Westfeldt (Lauren) and Peter Cambor (Andrew). They reminded me of myself and my husband when we were just deciding to get pregnant. We had the same concerns and fears and the same issues with our FWKs (friends with kids) vs. our FWOKs (friends without kids). The show debates issues like whether to keep the Mini vs. buy the minivan, how to hide pregnancy from friends in the least offensive, most inconspicuous ways, how to not go overboard in the kid gadget department, and of course the important self-image issues for moms like saying goodbye to the "girlish" figure, caffeine, and booze. Suppposedly it will track the main couples through the beginnings of parenthood, like the early years pre-"Desperate Housewives".

Set in L.A., it has its eye candy like homes, shopping and clothes but the beauty of "Notes From the Underbelly" is that it tells a common, modern human dilemma and transition with humor. I don't know if anything will ever match "Sex and the City" in the way it blended fashion, culture, storyline and humor but this show does seem to have the same campy allure that DH has.

Check it out - it's moving to Wednesday nights on ABC.